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Gottheimer, Problem Solvers meet with Trump

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., left, and Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., right, listen as President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)AP

Members of a bipartisan House caucus met with the president on Wednesday afternoon to present its ideas on tax reform, health care, infrastructure investment and the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, order.

The Problem Solvers Caucus, led by U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., and New York's U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, R-23rd Dist., met with President Donald Trump at the White House for nearly an hour to discuss bipartisan proposals to several pressing issues.

Gottheimer, whose congressional district includes 19 of Sussex County's 24 municipalities, said Trump talked about the importance of bipartisan action and how it was a "much better way to govern."

"Everyone in the room, Republicans and Democrats, echoed that," Gottheimer told the New Jersey Herald on Wednesday afternoon. "Solutions are only indelible if you bring everyone together. One-sided extreme governing is not a way to move the country forward. The best solutions are ones that are done together."

Prior to Wednesday's meeting, Gottheimer and Reed appeared on cable news and were asked about the deal Trump struck with Democrats last week to raise the debt ceiling and fund the federal government through December while providing disaster relief from Hurricane Harvey. Reed said he thought it was "brilliant."

"I think it's exactly what we need," Gottheimer said during the television interview. "We need bipartisanship, we need to get things done. I think anybody you talk to wants us to roll up our sleeves and get things done."

A big focus of the meeting was tax reform, which has been a centerpiece of the president's and Gottheimer's platforms since both men took office in January. Gottheimer said the caucus stressed to the president that a deal on tax reform and infrastructure should move through Congress together.

"That's the best way to get (it done)," he said. "(Trump) seemed open to that."

Trump apparently gave the Problem Solvers the job of forming a congressional "task force" to work directly with the White House on those two issues. Gottheimer said he thought that was a "very good step toward continuity" in Washington.

On tax reform, Gottheimer said the president stressed that it not just focus on bringing corporate tax rates down – something he said both men agree needs to be part of the deal -- but "giving relief to small- and medium-sized businesses, as well as individuals."

As for DACA, Gottheimer said the consensus in the room was that there was a real bipartisan opportunity to get something done. He said that was discussed at length during the mid-day meeting.

"The good news is that he's supportive and wants to see it get done," Gottheimer said of the president's view of DACA. "Our caucus is working on coming up with a bipartisan recommendation. There's some good bills already out there, the question is how do you get to a bill that you can find bipartisanship on."

Health care reform, which seemed to stall after Republicans in the U.S. Senate failed to pass any legislation before congressional recess, was also on the table. The Problem Solvers Caucus came up a proposal in the early summer that looked to fix aspects of the Affordable Care Act while eliminating areas that caused concern from both parties.

"He looked through it, he had several questions," Gottheimer said of Trump's response to the caucus' proposal. "He seemed open and, I thought, actually had a positive reaction to it."

Trump's meeting with the Problem Solvers Caucus comes a day after he met with six senators -- three Republicans and three Democrats -- over dinner to discuss the same issues. The president was scheduled to meet with the Senate and House Minority Leaders Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for dinner at the White House to discuss DACA and health care Wednesday night.

David Danzis can also be contacted on Facebook: ddanzisNJH, on Twitter: @ddanzisNJH, or by phone: 973-383-1274.